Bearing assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications. Axial bearing assemblies are a common type of bearing assembly that typically include cylindrical or tapered rolling elements. One known tapered rolling bearing assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,523,453, which discloses two pluralities of tapered rolling elements having the same taper direction. Another bearing assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,787 and includes cylindrical rolling elements with a generally flat common center ring.
It would be desirable to provide an improved tiered bearing assembly that is adaptable for non-uniform diameter applications, as well as being capable of supporting increased loads and higher speeds.